The day I graduated from Swampscott High School in the spring of 1977, I could not have told you which band Jerry Garcia played in. When I got to Harvard (where I later met Frank Streeter), Steve O'Leary of blessed memory lent me his copy of Europe '72, and asked me to figure out where China Cat Sunflower stopped, and I Know You Rider started. I listened to that cut a dozen times, and I was intrigued. There began my suspicion that these guys were on to something.

That suspicion was confirmed after I heard my first 15 seconds of the Half Step opener that night in Providence. By then I knew that the question about a Grateful Dead concert had forever changed for me, as Joanie Begonias always says, from "Are we going?" to "How are we getting there?"

I was sitting behind the stage, and at some point in the Half Step coda Garcia crouched into a peeling run, and the crowd visibly rippled in response, as if it was a single organism. (As I came to know, it was.) I remember Not Fade Away, particularly, as an unhurried, genuinely exploratory journey we all took together (this was before the time of the rote crowd participation in NFA).

I turned to poor unfortunate Doug, sitting next to me with his DIY nitrous dispenser, and said to him "Look, I know it's night time, but doesn't it seem like it's day time in here?" After I said that to him for the sixth or seventh time, he patiently said "Just listen to the music play." So I did. And I am still listening, and playing, and my life has been informed and transformed by the Music and the community that grew around it.

As it happens, my first show was a pretty good one. The recording is excellent (thanks Dan and Charley), and the songs are well played. I don't know whether memories are real or constructed, but when I listen to this show, I can hear and feel the playfulness of the band, and my unbridled astonishment, come down through the years.

Excellent show, particularly the 1/2 step and nfa>gdtrfb.

Compared to the other auds available, this one has a little more on the "nice echo-y drums", and a little less of the "warmth and closeness", ie feels a little further from the stage. Phil's big in this though, which is cool.

'77 (deservedly) gets more props, but '78 has a litany of amazing show as well. This puppy is a beast, with great instrumentation (led by Jer of course) and strong vocals throughout.

The highlights: Half-Step opener is a monster, and is bracketed by a long and flowing Let it Grow to close the set. Second set highlights include a deep Eyes and excellent NFA, among others.

be thou not snooty about AUD quality
lest ye skippeth shows such as this one.

just reading the set list got me stoked,
and every tune is solid. energy! creativity!

this is a great, somewhat under-the-radar show. Check out the let it grow from set one and all of the set II, really exceptional playing from all involved. This show is also one of the only 78s out there without a sbd in circulation yet.

We had our Purple Barrel episode in Springfield we went to Boston crashed a few nights then PROVIDENCE, just when we thought we couldn't get a better show the boys came out and played an exceptional EYES among a killer first set(BEW,CASS, LIG etc) as well. When Jers voice was ragged (alot in 78') he seemd to make it up with his playing.If your'e an AUD person you'll apreciate this one.This is cleaner then the other one posted, this is the first time I Dl this show, waiting was worth it. Taper Section was not yet allowed so stealth recordings were usually done off of balcony railings and such.Phil is heavy in the Mix,Yeah! Keith?